Ever since his early days in the spotlight as a cohost of Dr. Drew Pinsky’s Loveline radio and MTV shows in the 1990s, Adam Carolla has kept audiences entertained with his acerbic brand of observations. Carolla further cemented his popularity and fan base when he teamed with pals Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison to create and star in Comedy Central’s The Man Show and Crank Yankers.
These days, the funnyman—who’s authored three New York Times bestsellers and produced several films that highlight his love of cars and racing—proudly hosts his wildly popular Adam Carolla Show podcast, which is recognized as the “most downloaded podcast” by Guinness World Records. Here, the self-professed “builder and car guy” shares his favorite destinations for auto aficionados, explains the special joy he gets from swimming in the Pacific, and more.
Where do you live? I live in Malibu.
Why there? I love being able to get up in the morning and go swimming in the Pacific. I’m a cold-plunge guy and when the ocean is at your doorstep that’s a lot easier. Plus, I grew up poor in the San Fernando Valley so the idea of living in Malibu, a destination that was only a few miles away but was way out of reach for my downtrodden family, is very appealing.
Who or what is your greatest California love? I love going to Laguna Seca in Monterey for the Rolex historics. Also, my yearly pilgrimage to go to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and display some of my vintage race cars.
What is the biggest misperception about Californians? I think the biggest misconception is that we’re all Hollywood liberal, laid-back, surfers/stoners. I’m a builder and a car guy and I hang with some guys who are real blue-collar, practical, work-with-their-hands types. People think California is just L.A. and San Francisco.
What is the stereotype that most holds true? I guess the one thing that is true across all different Californians, no matter if they’re L.A. beach people, San Fran tech people, or Bakersfield farmers, is they don’t want to leave because California has great weather and some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country.
What is your favorite Golden State splurge? I’ve gone on a winery tour in Napa when I was there doing stand-up and it’s the best to see the process and then sample the goods.
Time for a road trip—where are you going? It’s hard to argue with a trip to Lake Tahoe. It’s beautiful. I had my bachelor party weekend there.
If you could decree an official state culinary experience, what would it be? If there’s a single iconic California culinary experience everyone should have, I guess it would be In-N-Out Burger.
What is your favorite way to play in California? Prepare for a name drop. My first thought was tossing a football around at Kevin Costner’s house. We’re friends, and let me tell you, that guy’s got a hell of an arm.
Where would you go for the ultimate shopping spree in California? I’m not much of a shopper. Maybe Home Depot—I could load up on tools and materials for the garage. Or Costco—you can’t go wrong with a lifetime supply of paper towels and a case of IPA beer. That’s my idea of a spree!
Best California song? I’m going to go with “Los Angeles Is Burning” by Bad Religion. It’s not the most flattering song about California but it rocks and I’m friendly with the guys from the band and they’re great dudes.
How would your California dream day unfold? I’d get up and swim in Malibu, drive to Glendale and do a great podcast with a California native friend like Dr. Drew and then get some Zankou Chicken for lunch, pick up my buddy Jimmy Kimmel at his studio on Hollywood Boulevard to drive downtown to cap the evening with a Rams victory at SoFi Stadium.